It was Seika’s birthday again, and this time she enjoyed it with her lovers. Ayame told Seika to go to ‘Hotel Atlas’ in Kabukichō after work and book one of the larger rooms to wait for her lovers, so she did. She made herself at home and took a long look around. The bathtub was large enough for two or even three people, if they intimately cuddled, which she obviously intended to do later. She even noticed that there was a mat for certain types of massage and lotion play. She made a mental note of that.

  She looked around the room, opened closets and found semi-hidden vending machines. One in a fridge serving soft drinks, sports drinks and, most importantly, water. Expecting a long night, Seika bought it.

  Another vending machine in a closet sold adult toys and, oddly enough, contact lenses. After making a purchase, Seika retreated to the bath to enjoy some quality time with Minerva before her girlfriends arrived.

  And then, after said girlfriends’ arrival, their moans filled the room for the next two hours; Ayame had all sorts of surprises prepared for Seika, all of which involved her and Miori’s bodies, and the office lady indulged happily.

  As everything was over, Seika laid on her back, two beauties embracing her from either side and dozing peacefully while she stared at the ceiling, barely able to comprehend her luck.

  “Not luck. It’s simply what you deserve, Seika.”

  She closed her eyes and chuckled to herself after hearing her partner speaking up like that.

  Well, did you enjoy yourself tonight?

  “Of course! I need to take entertainment where I can get it! Your head is so empty otherwise.”

  Seika raised an eyebrow in response.

  “That was a joke. But yes, I enjoyed myself. As I told you during your first time with Miori, I feel everything when you’re transformed, so thank you for that. And… thank you for letting me take control for a while. Ayame is a great woman.”

  Seika felt her face heat up and clenched her eyes shut.

  You’re getting cheekier these days.

  “Maybe so. Go on, hurry to sleep, I want to show you something.”

  While I sleep?

  Seika didn’t object to some rest, either way, so she closed her eyes, letting the warmth of her two lovers’ bodies lull her to sleep.

  Seika opened her eyes slowly. She wasn’t in a love hotel bed anymore, and she wore some kind of robes. Fabric was wrapped around her body like a kimono, though to her eyes it looked a bit more disorganized.

  Right in front of her a sea of stars expanded, with the milky way prominently painting the night sky. As she looked around, she found herself in a manor made of marble, on some kind of throne that one could lie on, located on an open balcony looking at the vast expanse in front of her. She quickly found out that the pillow she’s been using so freely until now was in fact the lap of the goddess Minerva, who sat behind her in all her two meters tall glory.

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  “I redecorated the place a little,” she announced.

  “Redecorated? Which place?”

  “Remember when we were trapped in darkness after almost losing to the Furies? This is it. Your mind’s palace.” Minerva gestured around and Seika couldn’t help but laugh at the suggestion.

  “Looks more like it belongs to you. But you can have it. I’m not using it all that much anyway, it seems. Just remember how empty it was!”

  Minerva smirked, then she gently grabbed Seika’s shoulders and made her sit up, so she could slide right next to her.

  “I promised you a talk about my people, Seika.”

  Seika smiled and looked up at the imposing woman, then she felt a strange feeling on her head; clawed feet dug into her hair and a quick glance to the top confirmed that Minerva’s owl companion picked Seika’s head as its current place to sit.

  “Tell me, then.” Seika said after composing herself.

  Minerva nodded and looked ahead.

  “We are Deogemma. We are a crystal race, able to channel vast quantities of mana from our surroundings to a degree that people who encounter us call us gods. However, we can only freely live with bodies of our own in our home world of Terra. No one knows where we came from, not even ourselves. The oldest of us appear to have just spawned from nothingness, together with the world itself.”

  She gave Seika a weak little smile.

  “I would delve more into our history, but you found out most there is to know about us from the books you read. But I am… troubled by some of them. Some of our history appears to be split off into two different pantheons, one using our primordial names, the other using our face names. Other events are described as completely different from how I saw them in my father’s memories. Things got mixed up, turned around… but still, I am afraid of the things that are being described that will still happen in my future.”

  Seika nodded and put a hand on Minerva’s shoulder. She had an idea what troubled her partner. Minerva trembled a little and clutched her hands around her shoulders.

  “Why is it written that I will see my uncle rape a priestess dedicated to my worship in my temple… and I am angry with her? Why is it written that I will turn her into a monster and then aid a hero in slaying her, only to use her head on my shield?”

  Tears welled up in the goddesses’ eyes.

  “Why is it written that I will punish a woman so severely for thinking she’s better at weaving than me that she will commit suicide? And then I turn her into a monster, too?”

  The tears flowed freely now, and Seika leaned in to embrace Minerva, running her hands calmingly over her back.

  “Those are the kinds of things that made me not want to let you know what I am. Am I that kind of woman?”

  “Of course not,” Seika reassured her partner. She kept rubbing her back and the goddess suddenly held onto Seika’s robe, burying her face in her chest. She had a good long cry while Seika comforted her.

  ***

  “All better?” Seika asked with a smile after Minerva calmed down again. The goddess nodded, looking a little bashful in response to what just transpired.

  “See, this is much better than keeping it all bottled up, isn’t it? We’re already literally fused by the hip, or rather, everything, so we might as well share our burdens and our… mhhg?”

  Seika’s eyes widened as she felt Minerva’s lips on hers. The woman with the glowing hair had closed the distance in an instant and was keeping hold of Seika’s shoulders.

  I see all those love confessions weren’t just self-love…

  Seika melted into the kiss and let Minerva push her on her back. The goddess climbed on top of her to keep the kisses up, and soon Seika’s face was wet from both tears and saliva.

  ***

  After their impromptu make-out session, Seika stared into the starry sky.

  “Wow.”

  That was about the only word that came to mind for her. Minerva was a little timid afterwards and held Seika’s hand, still vulnerable and insecure about her true nature, and seeking her other half’s comfort.

  “You know, after our first time transforming in bed, we decided to consider you and Bellona as part of the relationship, but this is still… strangely real, to make out with you in a shared dream.”

  “Did you dislike it?” Minerva asked timidly.

  “No. The opposite, in fact. I might have to suggest the same to Miori and Bellona.” She chuckled quietly as she turned towards Minerva, who looked at her with a small, awkward smile.

  “Though things are the same as ever, aren’t they? My ‘beloved other half’?”

  Seika and Minerva spent the night like this, occasionally talking about this and that. She would continue to share her dreams with her partner like this more often.

  The Wonderful Thirty-one